Senior Vice President, Head of Valuations

HarbourVest Partners•Boston, MA

6d•$285,000 - $310,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This individual will develop and be responsible for the firm’s valuation strategy across its alternative assets. They will focus on governance, fair value methodology, and operating scalability in investment sectors such as private equity, debt financing, and infrastructure assets. The role also serves as a trusted senior representative of the firm in engagements with auditors, regulators, investors, and fund boards, helping to reinforce HarbourVest’s reputation for rigor, integrity, and innovation! The ideal candidate is an accomplished valuation leader with deep experience across Evergreen and Closed-end fund structures and a strong command of SEC and comparable regulatory frameworks. This person combines technical credibility with executive presence, bringing the judgment, influence, and strategic perspective required to lead through complexity, build institutional-grade processes, and partner effectively with senior team members across Investment Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Fund Accounting, Product Operations, Performance Management, auditors, and third-party providers.

Requirements

Deep and credible expertise related to valuation, accounting, audit, or asset management, with important leadership exposure across illiquid and alternative assets including private equity, private credit, and infrastructure.
Shown technical grounding in US GAAP or equivalent (and familiarity with IFRS is an advantage) and fair value accounting for Level 3 assets.
Proven record with valuation and governance across registered investment companies, evergreen vehicles, and closed-end private fund structures, including strong understanding of SEC Rule 2a-5 and related valuation frameworks.
Consistent track record to review sophisticated valuation models and methodologies (e.g., DCF, market approach) and assess valuation risk.
Experience handling and challenging third-party valuation agents and fund administrators.
Proven ability in leading teams, influencing senior decision-makers, and operating with a high degree of independence, judgment, and accountability.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical valuation concepts for executive, client, and board-level audiences.
15+ years of experience in valuation, audit, or fund accounting within alternative investments, asset management, or a top valuation firm, with relevant leadership experience spanning private equity, private credit, infrastructure instruments across open-ended and closed-ended products within a diverse set of fund structures.

Nice To Haves

MBA, CPA, and/or CFA or equivalent experience preferred

Responsibilities

Set the vision for HarbourVest’s valuation function. Continue to develop the function into a world-class capability with scalable governance, policies, and operating models supporting business growth, product innovation, and more frequent valuation cycles.
Own and continuously evolve HarbourVest’s fair valuation framework across all investments, crafting methodology standards, governance, documentation, testing, and ongoing process enhancements.
Coordinate and manage third-party valuation providers, including onboarding, performance oversight, challenge processes, and long-term vendor strategy.
Act as HarbourVest’s senior valuation voice in client communications, operational due diligence processes, and auditor or regulatory engagements, bringing confidence, clarity, and credibility to highly visible conversations.
Partner across Fund Accounting, Reporting, Legal, Compliance, and Investment teams to embed valuation insight into NAV processes, financial reporting, investor communications, and board materials across a diverse range of fund structures.
Lead valuation governance forums and support fund board reporting, ensuring clarity, rigor, and defensibility of valuation decisions involving all HarbourVest products.
Build, lead, and encourage a high-performing valuation team, strengthening the platform for future growth while developing outstanding talent and fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Bring forward-looking, industry-informed leadership to valuation across private markets.
Serve as an industry leader and orchestrate HarbourVest’s continued evolution of valuation practices.